Re-imagining the humble umbrella

Rain Shield, a Red Dot award winner designed by students Lin Min-Wei and Liu Li-Hsiang, is an attempt to solve these age-old problems by acknowledging the way rain really works. It’s an umbrella with no sharp parts to stab fellow pedestrians, and no “bones” or joints for gusts to invert. And you can aim its extended flat panel directly at the rain to protect you from several aquatic attacks at once.

The Rain Shield’s most enticing proposition, however, may be that it reimagines the whole folding and unfolding process. While most umbrellas slide along a pole to be lifted into position, the Rain Shield pops out like a family-friendly tent. Notably, this means that you won’t be forced to carry around a metal stick all day. Instead, your umbrella folds into a cloth plate that you can stow flat in a purse or briefcase, a bit larger than your ultra-portable umbrella but definitely smaller than the mighty walking stick umbrellas out there